One Suspect in Birna’s Case Released Today

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One Suspect in Birna’s Case Released Today

One of the men in police custody, suspected in the death of Birna Brjánsdóttir, will be released today, RÚV reports.

The 20-year-old Birna disappeared in Reykjavík on January 14. Her body was found on the south coast of Reykjanes peninsula on January 22.

Chief Superintendent Grímur Grímsson told RÚV the case has been solved in the sense that there is not believed to be any reason to keep the man in police custody any longer. Grímur added that the man still has the legal status of a suspect.

The police will request an extension of the custody of the other suspect, either two or four weeks. Grímur stated that no confession has been made.

The two men have been in police custody and isolation for 14 days. They were arrested aboard the trawler Polar Nanoq from Greenland on January 18. Both of them are from Greenland.

Unnsteinn Örn Elvarsson, the defense attorney of the man who will be released today, told RÚV that his client had assisted police the best he could.

The suspect police would like to keep in custody is the one caught on security cameras driving the red Kia Rio rental car away from Hafnarfjörður harbor at 7 am the day Birna went missing. He didn’t return until four hours later, and the police have not been able to track his travels during that time.

Funeral services will be held for Birna at Hallgrímskirkja church tomorrow. The family have asked the media to show consideration and refrain from taking pictures during and after the service. They decline flowers, but suggest that those who wish to make a donation in Birna’s memory do so by supporting Icelandic rescue workers, ICE-SAR.